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Connecting Rod broken in San Juan - experienced welder needed or game over Connecting Rod broken in San Juan - experienced welder needed or game over
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  #1  
Old 5 Jan 2015
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Connecting Rod broken in San Juan - experienced welder needed or game over
We are stranded in San Juan de Los Andes with the connecting rod broken.

There is no replacement available for this very Asian engine. The only option we can think of is to have it welded. But that needs to be done properly by an expert.

Does anybody know someone in San Juan?
That would be highly appreciated, otherwise our South America experience ends right here.

Heeeelp

Cheers
Wauschi
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Old 5 Jan 2015
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I'm not saying it can't be done but I have never heard of anyone doing it.
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Old 5 Jan 2015
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Juan, we are looking at the last 8.000km stretch of our RTW trip. We will try anything to complete it.
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Old 5 Jan 2015
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Looks like it is time for another bike. I can't imagine it lasting for very long or at all. If anything will work it will be TIG and I can't imagine you finding a TIG welder in some village in South America.
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Old 5 Jan 2015
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Other than that the engine is "very Asian", can you help with naming the make/model of the vehicle?
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Old 5 Jan 2015
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Yea, without info ... NO ONE can help you Wauschi.
There must be at least 150 "San Juan's" in S. America. Where are you ...
exactly? ... and what model and year bike are you riding?

Where did the Rod break? Did you see it yourself? Got Pics? Any other internal damage done after Rod broke?

If you're riding a common bike you may be able to find a nice (cheap) used Rod from someone (or even a whole used motor) ... even a new Rod would be worth it if you can find one quickly.

Sorry to hear of this bad luck ... hope things get better soon!
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Old 6 Jan 2015
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That's very much for all the replies!
And sorry for being not more specific. I am in San Juan north of Mendoza, Argentina.

Talking to some mechanics today turned out the very Chinese bikes we are riding no-one ever heard of ZNEN ZN200-8S are identical to the Argentinean made Zanella!

We should get a new rod even tomorrow!

Hopefully the new rod will take us to Bolivia, Peru and Brazil soon :-)

Thanks for your reply.
Wauschi
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Old 6 Jan 2015
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rods donot break without a reason,along with this, many more parts are suspect.
need a complete engine inspection before you button it up.
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Old 6 Jan 2015
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yokesman View Post
rods donot break without a reason,along with this, many more parts are suspect.
need a complete engine inspection before you button it up.
Very well said, would be very unusual to break because it was Chinese (possible) but very unlikely, suggest like yokesman says there is likely a cause, oil pump failure etc, damage to crank journals is likely and and piston etc.

Check the other parts closely before it is reassembled, DON'T take their word for it that all is ok

Best to getting sorted.
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Old 6 Jan 2015
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As others have said
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wauschi View Post
That's very much for all the replies!
And sorry for being not more specific.
Wauschi
It is not unknown for a con rod to "separate" so how do you know it is "broken"? Have you seen it or ....................well, whatever the evidence is you haven't described it.

Imagine, for a moment, an engine turning over at a few thousand revs per minute and a primary part. moving up and down very rapidly and in close proximity to other moving parts, completely separates, more or less instantaneously, from the rest of the engine.
Now imagine what happens to the two ends that were recently secured to each other.
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Old 6 Jan 2015
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You are all right, thanks.
It turned into the piston and valves are also broken.

Just took the bike to a garage and they promised to arrange the parts and have the bike fixed within 24 hours.

Thanks for your support!
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